Pelargonium peltatum cultivar xe2x80x98Balcolpurpxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Balcolpurpxe2x80x99.
The new Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely flowering Geraniums with attractive flower and foliage colors.
The new Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor of the Pelargonium peltatum cultivar xe2x80x98Chicxe2x80x99, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Pelargonium peltatum cultivar xe2x80x98Global Bright Purplexe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,585, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar xe2x80x98Balcolpurpxe2x80x99 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Arroyo Grande, Calif., in 1999.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Arroyo Grande, Calif., since June, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Balcolpurpxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Balcolpurpxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Cascading and mounded growth habit.
2. Freely basal branching habit.
3. Medium green-colored leaves.
4. Purple-colored double flowers.
Plants of the new Geranium differ from plants of the parent cultivars primarily in flower color.
The new Geranium can be compared to the cultivar, xe2x80x98Balcolavxe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,685. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Arroyo Grande, Calif., plants of the new Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Balcolavxe2x80x99 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Geranium had shorter internodes than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Balcolavxe2x80x99.
2. Plants of the new Geranium had smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Balcolavxe2x80x99.
3. Plants of the new Geranium had smaller umbels with fewer flowers per umbel than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Balcolavxe2x80x99.
4. Flowers of plants of the new Geranium had many more petals than flowers of plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Balcolavxe2x80x99.
5. Flower color of plants of the plants of the new Geranium was lighter than flower color of plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Balcolavxe2x80x99.